News
Duncan Lewis Solicitors granted permission on further case to challenge imposition of bail conditions on individuals that cannot be lawfully detained (24 January 2020)
Our client has been granted permission to challenge the continued imposition of conditional immigration bail against him, and becomes the third Duncan Lewis client to be granted permission in such a challenge. Read more...
Everything you need to know about family mediation at Duncan Lewis Solicitors (24 January 2020)
In light of Family Mediation Week, we explain what family mediation is, how it is used, and the family mediation services our family and child care departments offer Read more...
Emine Mehmet to launch pro bono clinic for vulnerable women in partnership with University of East London’s Legal Advice Centre and Councillor Shah’s Conversation Café (22 January 2020)
Child care director Emine Mehmet is launching a new law clinic offering family and child care advice for vulnerable women as part of Newham Council's Conversation Café. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors welcomes new housing director Alison Winfield (17 January 2020)
We are delighted to welcome housing director Alison Winfield to our Leicester office Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors contributes to the UNICEF Monitoring Returns Project (15 January 2020)
A number of Duncan Lewis public law cases have been included in the UNICEF Monitoring Returns project Read more...
Public law director Toufique Hossain to speak at BID event: Behind locked doors: Immigration detention in prisons exposed (15 January 2020)
Toufique Hossain invited to speak at BID event: "Behind locked doors: Immigration detention in prisons exposed". Read more...
Duncan Lewis case challenges gap in support for victims of trafficking following a grant of refugee status (14 January 2020)
Our public law team, led by director Ahmed Aydeed, is challenging the gap in support for victims of trafficking following a grant of refugee status Read more...
Javeria Ijaz shortlisted at the British Muslim Awards 2020 (16 December 2019)
Javeria Ijaz is a finalist for the Rising Star in Law award at the 2020 British Muslim Awards Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors shortlisted for Law Firm of the Year award at Modern Law Awards 2020 (13 December 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors shortlisted for the Law Firm of the Year at the Modern Law Awards 2020. Read more...
International family law specialist Helen Newman honoured at the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Slovakia (5 December 2019)
We are delighted to reveal that our international family law specialist Helen Newman has been honoured for her 'outstanding bravery, compassion, and humanitarian engagement of children’s rights not to be separated from their families'. Read more...
LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2019 – Ravi Kaur Mahey Highly Commended for Best Contribution by an Individual (4 December 2019)
Child care director Ravi Kaur Mahey has been Highly Commended for Best Contribution by an Individual at this year’s LawWorks Pro Bono Awards. Read more...
Success for Duncan Lewis Solicitors at the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2019 (29 November 2019)
Victory for Duncan Lewis Solicitors and public law director Ahmed Aydeed at this year's UK Diversity Legal Awards. Read more...
Supreme Court unanimously uphold clients were detained unlawfully and entitled to damages under domestic law (27 November 2019)
The Supreme Court has upheld that individuals detained unlawfully under Articles 28 and 2(n) of the Dublin III Regulations and may be entitled to damages. Read more...
Home Office concedes unlawful imposition of study restriction as a bail condition on individuals who are ‘appeals rights exhausted’ (20 November 2019)
On 20 November 2019, the Home Office conceded in the settlement of two claims for judicial review that it had acted unlawfully in imposing a study restriction as a condition of bail on two individuals simply because they had failed in their initial asylum claims and exhausted their appeal rights. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors' housing team in Harrow to take part in Sleep Walk for Shelter (14 November 2019)
Our Harrow-based housing team will be taking part in a 10km walk through central London to combat homelessness and support the charity Shelter. Read more...
Public law director James Packer to give specialist training for the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (14 November 2019)
James Packer will be providing specialise training on immigration cases in the Court of Appeal and litigation funding by Conditional Fee Arrangements (CFA) and Damages Based Agreements (DBA). Read more...
Brook House – Public Inquiry announcement (6 November 2019)
Secretary of State for the Home Department, Priti Patel, announces that the PPO investigation into the abuse of detainees at Brook House immigration removal centre has been converted to a statutory public inquiry. Read more...
Successful judicial review of revocation of right to work (6 November 2019)
Immigration consultant Fahad Ansari successful in judicial review of Secretary of State of the Home Department's decision to revoke his client's right to work. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors nominated for three awards at the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2019 (5 November 2019)
Three nominations for Duncan Lewis Solicitors in this year's LawWorks Pro Bono Awards Read more...
Pro Bono Week 2019: Duncan Lewis Solicitors initiatives (4 November 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors are taking part in a number of pro bono clinics and surgeries during this year's Pro Bono Week, including a free immigration advice clinic in our Harrow and Shepherd's Bush offices and housing advice at Swansea University. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Wills and Probate department raise significant funds for charities during Free Wills Month (1 November 2019)
Our wills and probate department took part in Free Wills Month, a campaign that allows those aged 55 and above to have their wills written or updated free of charge. Read more...
Believed at last: Overcoming the credibility hurdle for victims of trafficking (1 November 2019)
When Flora was finally granted refugee status in August 2019, it was the end of a long struggle to be recognised and accepted as a victim of modern day slavery and trafficking by the Home Office. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors ‘Highly Commended’ at the Law Society Excellence Awards 2019 (24 October 2019)
Success for Duncan Lewis Solicitors at this year's Law Society Excellence Awards as firm is 'highly commended' for Excellence in Business Development. Read more...
Legal prospects available for Windrush clients with children born outside the UK (23 October 2019)
If your lawful settled status was recognised under Windrush, but your application for citizenship was refused, we may also be able to help. Read more...
Public law director Ahmed Aydeed wins the Marsh Award at the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Anti-Slavery Day Awards (17 October 2019)
Success for public law director Ahmed Aydeed who wins the Marsh Award at the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Anti-Slavery Day Awards Read more...
Public law director Ahmed Aydeed provides ILPA training on trafficking and modern slavery (15 October 2019)
Birmingham-based public law director Ahmed Aydeed provided training a the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) trafficking and modern slavery training session. Read more...
R oao IS (Bangladesh) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (15 October 2019)
Today, the High Court ruled that our client was unlawfully detained for almost five months of the total 28 months that he was held in immigration detention, breaching his rights under Article 5 European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). The Court also found that the 75 days that our client was under constant suicide watch breached his Article 8 ECHR rights to privacy. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors welcomes new mental health director Rebecca Dart (14 October 2019)
We are pleased to welcome our new mental health and criminal defence director Rebecca Dart to our Milton Keynes office where she will be supervising a team of lawyers each dedicated to the most vulnerable in society. Read more...
The Lex 100 survey results are in: Duncan Lewis successful in client contact category for the third year in a row (11 October 2019)
We are very pleased to announce that the Lex 100 have released their annual survey results and Duncan Lewis has once again secured a win for client contact. Read more...
Excellent results for Duncan Lewis in the Chambers and Partners 2020 guide (10 October 2019)
Fantastic news as multiple Duncan Lewis departments and individuals are recognised in the Chambers and Partners 2020 guide Read more...
Public law solicitor Sulaiha Ali is shortlisted for the Outstanding Achievement in Law at the GG2 Leadership Awards (3 October 2019)
Public law solicitor Sulaiha Ali has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Achievement in Law award at this year's GG2 Leadership Awards, the premier awards in the UK for diversity and leadership. Read more...
Solicitor Lewis Kett is shortlisted for the Rising Star Award at the British Legal Awards 2019 (1 October 2019)
We are pleased to announce that public law solicitor Lewis Kett has been shortlisted for the Rising Star – Private Practice Award at this year’s British Legal Awards. Read more...
Immigration solicitor Eleri Haf Davies ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in the 2020 edition of The Legal 500 (1 October 2019)
Cardiff-based immigration solicitor Eleri Haf Davies is ranked in The Legal 500 2020 as a Rising Star for her work in the Immigration - Wales category. Read more...
Huge success for Duncan Lewis Solicitors in The Legal 500 2020 which sees five lawyers listed in the ‘Next Generation Partners’ list (30 September 2019)
The Legal 500 has listed directors Adeeba Naseem, Alia Lewis, Alex Peebles, Manjnder Kaur Atwal, and Toufique Hossain as 'Next Generation Partners' in their 2020 edition. Read more...
Three Duncan Lewis Solicitors directors are included in the elite ‘Leading Lawyers’ list in The Legal 500 2020 (30 September 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors sees directors Vinita Templeton, Manjinder Kaur Atwal, and Toufique Hossain listed as Leading Lawyers in the 2020 edition of The Legal 500 Read more...
Success for Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ West Midlands practice in The Legal 500 (27 September 2019)
The Legal 500 2020 results have arrived! Wonderful outcomes for our our West Midlands based practices, with nine different practices being ranked at various tiers Read more...
Continued success in The Legal 500 for the Duncan Lewis Wales practice (27 September 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors' Wales based practices achieve outstanding results in the 2020 edition of The Legal 500 Read more...
Excellent results for our South East based practices in this year’s edition of The Legal 500 (27 September 2019)
The Legal 500 2020 results are here! Fantastic outcome for our our South East based practices, with nine different practices being ranked at various tiers Read more...
The Legal 500 success for Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ London based practices (27 September 2019)
The Legal 500 2020 results are here! Fantastic outcome for our our London based practices, with nine different practices being ranked at various tiers Read more...
Public law and immigration solicitor Hannah Baynes is shortlisted for ECPAT UK Children’s Champion Award (26 September 2019)
Hannah Baynes is shortlisted for ECPAT UK Children's Champion Award 2019 in recognition of the work she has done for child victims of trafficking. Read more...
Ahmed Aydeed is shortlisted for ECPAT UK’s 2019 Children’s Champion Award (26 September 2019)
Public law director Ahmed Aydeed is shortlisted for ECPAT UK’s 2019 Children’s Champion Award in recognition of the commitment he has shown to children who are victims of trafficking in the UK Read more...
Ethiopian asylum seeker dies after being denied cancer treatment by the Home Office (26 September 2019)
We are saddened to learn that our client Ms Kelemua Mulat, an Ethiopian asylum seeker who was detained potentially life-saving cancer treatment by the Home Office as a result of their flawed policy on charging overseas visitors for NHS care, has died aged 39. Read more...
R (BG (ALBANIA)) v SSHD – Settlement Outcome (19 September 2019)
Successful settlement outcome for our client who has received a positive Conclusive Grounds decision under the NRM and has been formally recognised as a confirmed victim of human trafficking. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors achieves and retains the Investors in People Gold Standard (16 September 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors have achieved and retained the Investors in People Gold Standard for the fourth time in succession. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors shortlisted for three awards at the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2019 (13 September 2019)
We are pleased to announce that we have been shortlisted for three awards at the UK Diversity Legal Awards. Read more...
Public law director Ahmed Aydeed is shortlisted at the Anti-Slavery Day Awards 2019 (11 September 2019)
We are delighted to announce that public law director Ahmed Aydeed has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Contribution to the Fight Against Slavery award in the Enabling and Supporting Survivors’ Rights and Entitlements category at this year’s Anti-Slavery Day Awards. Read more...
Public law director Bahar Ata wins the Legal Expert Award at the CILEx National Awards 2019 (6 September 2019)
We are delighted to announce that our Luton-based public law director Bahar Ata is the winner of the Legal Expert Award at this year’s CILEx National Awards. Read more...
Solicitor Jane Wilson is shortlisted for the Family Law Young Solicitor of the Year award at the Family Law Awards 2019 (2 September 2019)
Family and child care solicitor Jane Wilson is a finalist for the Family Law Young Solicitor of the Year award at this year's Family Law Awards. Read more...
Duncan Lewis says goodbye to Public Law Director Trevor Hatton (22 August 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors says farewell to Croydon-based public law director Trevor Hatton Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors shortlisted for seven awards at the 25th Annual Asian Legal Awards (20 August 2019)
We are delighted to announce that seven of our lawyers have been shortlisted for awards at this year's Asian Legal Awards. Read more...
Waging Peace together! (19 August 2019)
Members of the Duncan Lewis Public Law department in both Birmingham and Harrow offered pro bono advice to Sudanese asylum seekers at the Waging Peace clinic in Bradford Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors provided pro bono advice to Sudanese asylum seekers at the Waging Peace Legal Surgery in Bradford (16 August 2019)
Continuing on from last year’s success, Duncan Lewis’ Public Law teams at Birmingham and Harrow collaborated with Waging Peace to organise a legal surgery for members of the Sudanese community in Bradford on 12th July 2019. Read more...
Duncan Lewis’ Birmingham Public Law team invited to speak at the Human Trafficking Foundation Advisory Forum (7 August 2019)
On Monday 15 July, Birmingham-based public law director Ahmed Aydeed and caseworkers Karen Staunton and Harvey Slade attended a meeting of the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Advisory Forum. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Public Law team join the taskforce on victims of human trafficking in immigration detention (31 July 2019)
Duncan Lewis’ Public Law team was invited to join a taskforce of eleven expert organisations in order to seek an end to the detention of victims of human trafficking and to advocate vital changes to government practice and policies regarding this issue. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors shortlisted for five awards at The Law Society Excellence Awards 2019 (29 July 2019)
We are thrilled to announce that Duncan Lewis Solicitors has been shortlisted for five awards at this year’s Law Society’s prestigious Excellence Awards, the highest accolade for law firms in England and Wales. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors opens new office in Manchester, northwest England (22 July 2019)
We are pleased to announce that Duncan Lewis has opened a new office in Manchester, located at Office Number 316, 82 King Street, Manchester, M2 4WQ. Read more...
Duncan Lewis celebrates success in Will Aid’s fundraising campaign (18 July 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors participated in Will Aid’s annual fundraising campaign which raised money for nine of the UK’s best loved charities by donating our services. Read more...
Raja Rajeswaran Uruthiravinayagan wins Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year – Public Law at Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2019 (11 July 2019)
We are thrilled to announce that public law solicitor Raja Rajeswaran Uruthiravinayagan has won the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year – Public Law award at this year’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards (LALY). Read more...
Family law solicitor Emily Reed attends the National FGM Centre Conference (9 July 2019)
Emily Reed,a solicitor within the family department attended the National Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Centre’s Conference ‘RSE: The Role of Education in Responding to FGM and other Harmful Practices’ in London. Read more...
Shalini Patel to appear on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour (8 July 2019)
Public law solicitor Shalini Patel will be speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on Tuesday (9th July) alongside Gemma Lousley from Women for Refugee Women (WFRW). Read more...
Family director Forida Hakim takes part in the POAM ‘Domestic violence and child abduction’ workshop (8 July 2019)
Last month, family director Forida Hakim attended and took part in the Protection of Abducting Mothers in Return Proceedings (POAM) workshop in Aberdeen University where she, along with other experts explored the intersection between domestic violence and international parental child abduction within the EU. Read more...
Ahmed Aydeed gives evidence at the Home Affairs Committee’s Inquiry into Modern Slavery (2 July 2019)
Public law director Ahmed Aydeed has been invited to give oral evidence at the Home Affairs Committee’s Modern Slavery Inquiry in the House of Commons in Westminster. Read more...
Home Office concedes that their 45 day policy for providing support for victims of trafficking is unlawful (28 June 2019)
Our clients NN and LP have settled their claims with the Secretary of State after the Home Office conceded that their policy - which allows identified victims of trafficking to receive support for only 45 days following a conclusive grounds decision - is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Trafficking (ECAT). Read more...
Home Office fail to correctly identify a victim of trafficking resulting in over five months' unlawful detention (28 June 2019)
Our client NN, was unlawfully detained by the Home Office for over five months after they failed to identify him as a victim of trafficking, and mistook him for another man who had been deported years previous Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors champions its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (26 June 2019)
A 2019 equality and diversity survey shows that Duncan Lewis Solicitors continues to champion its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Read more...
For the second year running Public Law Director Bahar Ata is shortlisted for the Legal Expert Award at the CILEx National Awards (24 June 2019)
We are proud to announce that Public Law Director, Bahar Ata, has been shortlisted for the Legal Expert Award at the CILEx National Awards 2019. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors partner with Amnesty UK for special theatre production for Refugee Week (20 June 2019)
Duncan Lewis’ Public Law department have collaborated with Amnesty UK Children’s Human Rights Network to present a special showing of Phosphoros Theatre’s show; ‘Pizza Shop Heroes’ at Amnesty International UK on Monday, 24th June. Read more...
High Court declares Home Secretary’s investigation into immigration detention abuse at Brook House inadequate (14 June 2019)
In a landmark judgment handed down on Friday 14 June 2019, the High Court has declared that a proposed Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) investigation instigated by the Home Secretary into serious mistreatment and abuse of detainees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC), by officers of the private security firm G4S, is inadequate and lacks the powers to comply with the UK government’s investigative duties under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment). Read more...
High Court to determine legality of Home Office proposed inquiry into immigration detention abuse (13 June 2019)
The High Court is likely to hand down an important judgment tomorrow, Friday 14 June 2019, on whether the Home Office is meeting their duties to hold an effective investigation into the serious mistreatment and abuse of detainees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors sponsoring St Luke’s Hospice networking event (10 June 2019)
Duncan Lewis will be sponsoring the St Luke’s Hospice networking event on Wednesday 12th June between 5:30pm and 8pm at the Harrow Civic Centre. The event will be both an opportunity for professionals to network and to raise money for St Luke’s Hospice. Read more...
Football coach's clinical negligence case settled after three years (7 June 2019)
After three years of legal battling a football coach's clinical negligence case is settled after A&E doctors unsuccessfully manipulated his shoulder three times. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors shortlisted for two awards at Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2019 (30 May 2019)
We are thrilled to announce that two of our Harrow based public law lawyers have been shortlisted at this year’s Legal Aid Practitioners Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) Awards. Solicitor Raja Uruthiravinayagan is shortlisted for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year – Public Law award, and trainee solicitor Maria Petrova-Collins is up for the Legal Aid Newcomer award. Read more...
Ahmed Aydeed speaks at Matrix Chambers’ Trafficking and Modern Slavery Seminar (28 May 2019)
Public law director Ahmed Aydeed was invited to speak at Matrix Chambers’ Trafficking and Modern Slavery Seminar in London on Wednesday 22nd May at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Read more...
R v K - successful acquittal in firearms case (23 May 2019)
Criminal defence solicitors Kerim Kumbarji and Daniel Dilein successfully represented their client ‘K’ who was charged with three key firearm offences Read more...
Duncan Lewis reported case cited in Children Commissioner’s report (22 May 2019)
A Duncan Lewis reported case has been cited in the recently published report by the Children’s Commissioner, Anne Longfield. The report, ‘Who are they? Where are they?’ looks into vulnerable children who are ‘locked up’ be it in secure children’s homes, mental health wards, Young Offender Institutions or secure training centres, either for their own safety or the safety of others. Read more...
Duncan Lewis wins Special Recognition Award at the Wales Legal Awards (20 May 2019)
We are delighted to announce that the Cardiff and Swansea based Duncan Lewis teams won the Special Recognition Award at the inaugural Wales Legal Awards. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors appoints new immigration director Alexis Masolo (17 May 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors are pleased to announce the recent internal appointment of Alexis Masolo as director of immigration for its Leicester based office. Read more...
The Times’ Lawyer of the Week: Public Law Solicitor Sulaiha Ali (16 May 2019)
We are proud to announce that Public Law Supervisor and Solicitor Sulaiha Ali based in our Harrow office, has been named The Times’ Lawyer of the Week for her WW case. Read more...
Compulsory training for Home Office after flawed understanding of Humanism (15 May 2019)
Our client Hamza Bin Walayat previously claimed asylum on the basis that he would be persecuted and killed in Pakistan for his belief in Humanism. The Home Office rejected his claim on the grounds that he could not identify Plato and Aristotle as humanists. Following the international attention drawn to his case, Mr Bin Walayat instructed Duncan Lewis to assist him in submitting a new asylum claim which has now been successful. Read more...
Duncan Lewis wins the Access to Justice Award at the Cardiff & District Law Society Awards (13 May 2019)
We are delighted to announce that we have won the Excellence in Access to Justice Award at this year’s Cardiff and District Law Society Awards. Read more...
London Borough of Barnet Failure to Comply with Housing Law (10 May 2019)
Zuhal Saglam, a housing solicitor based in our Dalston office, acted on behalf of a client who along with her three children, had become homeless upon being evicted by her landlord further to a serious road traffic accident. Read more...
The Upper Tribunal have ordered the SSHD to return our client to the UK after ruling that he could not have an effective human rights appeal from Jamaica (7 May 2019)
In what is believed to be the first successful case of its kind, Mr Justice Lane and Upper Tribunal Judge O’Connor have directed the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) to fund and facilitate the return of our client (WW) to the United Kingdom, in circumstances where he had been denied the opportunity to obtain the ‘best evidence’ relating to the best interests of his British children in his human rights appeal. Read more...
FAM v SSHD: Duncan Lewis Solicitors granted permission to challenge imposition of bail conditions on individuals that cannot be lawfully detained (30 April 2019)
A client of Duncan Lewis Solicitors has been granted permission to challenge the continued imposition of conditional bail against him in circumstances where he can be neither lawfully removed nor lawfully detained pending the outcome of various investigations and civil proceedings into abuse and mistreatment he suffered in immigration detention. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors Granted Permission to proceed with Brook House Lock-in Challenge (24 April 2019)
Three Duncan Lewis clients have been granted permission by the High Court to challenge the conditions and regime they were held in at Brook House immigration removal centre (IRC), a centre for immigration detainees but designed to Category B prison standards. These conditions include locking detainees in their cells for up to 13 hours overnight in conditions the Claimants say are unsanitary, poorly ventilated and which breach their rights to observe their religion. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors Gender Pay Announcement (2019) (11 April 2019)
Duncan Lewis has recently completed its annual Gender Pay analysis and submitted the same. The reporting of gender pay revealed the following limitations: a lack of comparison in relation to comparable job roles/title(s), furthermore, the calculations fail to take into account intangible aspects which affect salary such as qualifications, employment experience and personal skills. Read more...
Hungarian nationals detained for rough sleeping win unlawful detention claim (10 April 2019)
Gabor Nagy, a solicitor and director of immigration, acted on behalf of two clients that were detained purely because they were found to be homeless. As Hungarian nationals, the Home Office detained them under immigration powers on the basis that it is an abuse of EU treaty rights, despite the fact that the policy on EEA rough sleepers no longer applies. It was as a result of Gabor’s representations that the Secretary of State eventually conceded that both had been detained unlawfully, awarding each a sum in damages. Read more...
Permission for Judicial Review granted for vulnerable Victim of Modern Slavery (10 April 2019)
Gina Sarfo, of our Dalston immigration department, has successfully obtained a grant of permission in Judicial Review proceedings against the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s (SSHD) irrational negative Reasonable Grounds decision and the proposed removal of the Claimant from the UK. Read more...
Solicitors Nilma Shah and Sarah Rashid represented Duncan Lewis at the TUC Midlands Annual Conference (3 April 2019)
Last weekend (30th March), clinical negligence and personal injury solicitor Nilma Shah and family and child care solicitor Sarah Rashid attended the TUC Midlands Annual Conference in Derby in order to meet with TUC delegates from across the Midlands and deliver specialist legal advice and support as well as highlight the most telling issues surrounding access to justice today. Read more...
Solicitor Lynda Reid becomes Director of Housing at Cardiff office (2 April 2019)
We are pleased to announce that solicitor Lynda Reid has been appointed Director of Housing at the firm’s Cardiff office. Read more...
Solicitor Graeme Rothwell becomes Director of Action Against Public Authorities department (2 April 2019)
We are pleased to announce that Solicitor Graeme Rothwell has been appointed as Director of the Action Against Public Authorities department at Dalston. Read more...
Why Duncan Lewis is attending the TUC Annual Regional Conference (29 March 2019)
Personal injury and clinical negligence solicitor Nilma Shah and family and child care solicitor Sarah Rashid are attending the TUC Annual Regional Conference in Derby on Saturday 30th March in order to deliver specialist legal advice and support to those attending and to highlight the most telling issues surrounding access to justice today. Read more...
Challenging disability discrimination: the legal implications of RS after the Administrative Court grants permission to apply for Judicial Review (28 March 2019)
In an Order issued on 25 March 2019, the Administrative Court of Justice held that it is arguably unlawful for a local authority to require a person with permanent and significant non-physical disabilities to attend a mobility assessment as a mandatory pre-requisite for determining their eligibility for a disabled parking badge (Blue Badge). Read more...
International family law solicitor Helen Newman joins Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ family department (28 March 2019)
We are pleased to announce that prominent international family law solicitor, Helen Newman, has joined Duncan Lewis Solicitors as a supervisor in the family department. Helen joins Duncan Lewis after over 30 years working as a director and partner at Pritchard Joyce & Hinds. Based primarily in our Tonbridge office in Kent, Helen specialises in all international family matters. Read more...
Duncan Lewis’ challenge to £1 per hour wages for immigration detainees dismissed by High Court: to appeal in pursuit of fair pay (27 March 2019)
Mr Justice Murray, in the High Court, has on 26 March 2019 dismissed our clients’ Judicial Review claims challenging the decision of the Secretary of State for the Home Department to pay immigration detainees £1 per hour for work carried out while in detention. Our clients are understandably very disappointed by this decision. We continue to be of the view that this policy is unlawful and will be seeking permission to appeal this decision to the Court of Appeal. Read more...
Cart Judicial Review success and removal of child with Autism Spectrum Disorder halted by Court of Appeal in RS (Pakistan) and Ors v HMCTS and SSHD (26 March 2019)
On 25 February 2019, in the case of RS (Pakistan) and Ors v HMCTS and SSHD (as an Interested Party), the Court of Appeal granted the appellants permission to appeal against the decision of the High Court refusing to grant them permission to judicially review the decision of the Upper Tribunal (UT). The UT in turn had refused to grant permission to the appellants to appeal the decision of the First-tier Tribunal (FtT) dismissing their human rights appeals in August 2017. It follows that the decision of the UT refusing permission to appeal is now likely to be quashed and a new decision will need to be made. The Court of Appeal also ordered that the appellants were not to be removed in the interim. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors represents wife who remarried after erroneously being granted a divorce from the courts - M v P [2019] EWFC 14 (25 March 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors represented a wife whose divorce was sought to make void in an application made by the Queen’s Proctor. The wife was represented by solicitors Sundeep Budwal and Paul Nuttall from our family and child care department. Read more...
Bahar Ata visits HMP Peterborough discussing foreign national detainee’s rights under the UN refugee convention (21 March 2019)
Director of immigration and public law, Bahar Ata, based in Luton, was invited to attend HMP Peterborough to speak with detainees who are subject to immigration proceedings. Read more...
Tamana Aziz and Zofia Duszynska feature in Online Abuse and the Law: Law in Action (BBC Radio 4) (20 March 2019)
Immigration directors Tamana Aziz and Zofia Duszynska were interviewed as part of the Law in Action series for BBC Radio 4 discussing the key issues that are faced by their clients when challenging decisions made by the Home Office. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Birmingham office welcomes new criminal defence department (15 March 2019)
We are pleased to announce that we are extending our reach by establishing a new criminal defence team in our Birmingham office. Led by director Nicholas De Freitas, the team consists of solicitor Sat Bains and caseworker Lee Piggott both of whom have extensive experience in handling a wide range of criminal defence matters. Read more...
Duncan Lewis challenges Home Office’s failure to provide support and assistance to trafficking victims (14 March 2019)
Duncan Lewis is launching a challenge against the Home Office for refusing to make decisions on whether to grant discretionary leave to victims of trafficking with outstanding asylum claims, and for limiting support for victims of trafficking to 45 days after a final decision is made that they are victims of trafficking. The challenge is being led by public law director, Ahmed Aydeed, and concerns a number of vulnerable clients that have instructed us. Solicitor Heather Malunga and caseworkers Karen Staunton and Harvey Slade are also assisting with this challenge. Chris Buttler of Matrix and Miranda Butler of Garden Court chambers are instructed as Counsel. Read more...
Challenging ultra vires acts: the legal implications of KA after the Court of Appeal grants permission to appeal (11 March 2019)
In the case of R (on the application of KA and another) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (ending of Kumar arrangements) [2018] UKUT 00201 (IAC) the Upper Tribunal (UT) held, in a decision dated 13 June 2018, that the Kumar arrangements would end for all Judicial Review claims filed in the UT on or after 1 January 2019. This means that, in respect of any such claim, the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) will have 21 days to file and serve an Acknowledgment of Service (AoS) as mandated by the Procedure Rules, instead of the more generous time frame of 42 days accorded by the Kumar arrangements. Read more...
Duncan Lewis’ client, a Sudanese victim of trafficking, has case referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (4 March 2019)
GB, the appellant in this case, has a complex immigration history, which ultimately saw her arrested in 2008 after she tried to board a flight from Gatwick airport to Canada with a false passport. Despite presenting with a number of indicators that she was a victim of trafficking, she was convicted of an offence under section 25(1)(a) of the Identity Cards Act 2006 and she is now in the process of appealing the conviction. On 1 March, the Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred GB’s case to the Court of Appeal with the belief that the court will quash her conviction. Read more...
Duncan Lewis offering free Wills drafting during Free Wills Month (1 March 2019)
Free Wills Month launches today and we are pleased to announce that our Wills & Probate team are participating by donating their services. Led by director Caroline Roche, the team will be offering ‘simple’ Will drafting and redrafting for those who sign up. Read more...
Intentional Homelessness Decision Overturned after finding ‘Lamborghini Landlord’ induced our client into unaffordable tenancy (28 February 2019)
Our client, a vulnerable tenant, was on 26 February 2019 met with a successful decision on review under s202 of the Housing Act 1996 finding that her rogue landlord, known as the ‘Lamborghini Landlord’, induced her into entering into a revised tenancy agreement which she simply could not afford. Read more...
Chinese victim of trafficking released from detention: where were the safeguards when our client needed them? (28 February 2019)
The day before our client’s case was listed at the High Court, the Home Office conceded that they had unlawfully detained her for 6 months. Her immigration history in the UK displayed clear indicators of trafficking and abuse; despite this she was held in immigration detention to the detriment of her mental and physical health. So what went wrong? Read more...
Duncan Lewis shortlisted for Private Client Team of the Year at the inaugural Wales Legal Awards (26 February 2019)
We are thrilled to announce that Duncan Lewis’ Cardiff based Immigration and Public Law team have been shortlisted for Private Client Team of the Year at the first Wales Legal Awards. Read more...
In aid of Syrian refugees in Lebanon – Day 3: Inspiration, determination and hope (13 February 2019)
Aisha Ahmed and Suzanne Abdulhadi recount their third and final day of their trip to Lebanon and contemplate the difference their work has made to the lives of the Syrian refugees. Read more...
Damages awarded to Claimant as asbestos case is settled after three and half years (11 February 2019)
Our client, the Claimant, suffered from the lung disease - plural thickening - as a result of working with asbestos earlier in his life. After nearly three and half years the Defendants have finally accepted blame and made an offer of damages to the Claimant. Read more...
In aid of Syrian refugees in Lebanon – Day 2: Hardship, dignity and appreciation (11 February 2019)
Aisha Ahmed and Suzanne Abdulhadi‘s journey through Lebanon continues as they travel to a refugee camp to distribute aid, encountering some unexpected obstacles along the way. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors attended Human Rights and Social Justice Event at University of Law (10 February 2019)
Director Ahmed Aydeed and caseworker Maria Poleo, both of our Immigration and Public Law department based in Birmingham, were invited to speak at the University of Law’s Human Rights and Social Justice Careers Evening held on 6 February. Read more...
In aid of Syrian refugees in Lebanon – Day 1: Grace, strength and generosity (8 February 2019)
Aisha Ahmed and Suzanne Abdulhadi’s first day in Lebanon sees them teaching children at a school, visiting a refugee camp and witnessing first-hand the conditions Syrian refugees have and continue to endure. Read more...
Personal Injury Solicitor Ifrah Ahmed successful in obtaining a large settlement for her client who sustained injuries at work (6 February 2019)
The claimant, Mr C, instructed Duncan Lewis Solicitors to represent him in a claim for an accident at work. As his solicitor, Ifrah Ahmed acted on his behalf and succeeded in recovering a large sum in damages for Mr C’s complex injuries and uncertain future. Read more...
Aisha Ahmed and Suzanne Abdulhadi travel to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon as part of the One Ummah Tour (6 February 2019)
Solicitor Aisha Ahmed and trainee solicitor Suzanne Abdulhadi both from Duncan Lewis’ Immigration Department are travelling to Lebanon with the UK charity; Muslim Charity to take part in the One Ummah Tour which will see them volunteering at Syrian refugee camps. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Public Law and Immigration Director Trevor Hatton judicially appointed to the First-tier Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (5 February 2019)
Duncan Lewis is pleased to announce that Director of Public Law and Immigration, Trevor Hatton has been appointed as a fee-paid judge at the First-tier Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (FtTIAC). Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Immigration Director Jenna McKinney is judicially appointed to the First-tier Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (5 February 2019)
We are very pleased to announce that Immigration Director Jenna McKinney has been appointed as a fee-paid judge at the First-tier Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (FtTIAC). Jenna already has over 10 years’ judicial experience sitting in the Magistrates Courts, where she chairs both the adult and the youth bench. She will begin her appointment in April 2019, based at Taylor House. Read more...
Performance, Budget or Redundant Post: Pregnancy Discrimination Dismissal in Dowokpor v. London Borough of Waltham Forest (4 February 2019)
This case concerns an agency worker who was dismissed from her job shortly after disclosing that she was pregnant. She subsequently sought assistance from Duncan Lewis in order to bring a claim for pregnancy discrimination against London Borough of Waltham Forest on her behalf. The case was brought before the Employment Tribunal on 7-9 and 13 November 2018 and the resulting judgment, sent to parties on 24 January 2019, found that the Claimant had suffered pregnancy discrimination by having her engagement terminated by the Council and she was awarded £22,344.25 in damages. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors sees success at the Modern Law Awards 2019 (1 February 2019)
Last night, on 31st January 2019, practitioners from Duncan Lewis attended the Modern Law Awards 2019 at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, to showcase and celebrate the excellent work and achievements of legal professionals from all across the UK. Read more...
Regulations to create backdating power made in response to litigation by Duncan Lewis (1 February 2019)
The Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 were laid before Parliament on 30 January 2019 by the Government. As of 20 February 2019, the legal aid regulations will confer a discretionary power on the Legal Aid Agency to backdate legal aid determinations to the date on which an application for funding or an amendment to an existing certificate was made. Read more...
Clients granted permission to challenge the lack of safeguards for people held in prison under immigration powers (1 February 2019)
The High Court has granted clients of Duncan Lewis Solicitors permission to challenge the lack of safeguards in place to identify vulnerable people held in prison under immigration powers. The Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Secretary of State for Justice are defendants in this claim. Read more...
Brook House Inquiry: High Court orders hearing to determine whether Home Office’s inquiry into detention centre abuse will comply with human rights (31 January 2019)
Today, on 31 January, the High Court ordered a two day hearing for early May 2019 to consider whether the Home Office’s proposed inquiry into abuse and mistreatment of detainees at the G4S-run Brook House Immigration Removal Centre will comply with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment). Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Emine Mehmet contributes to new book ‘101 Questions Answered About Separating with Children’ for separating parents (30 January 2019)
With legal aid being drastically cut, Duncan Lewis Solicitors is delighted to be supporting a national, not-for-profit social enterprise working to provide accessible support to families through the difficulties of separation and divorce. Read more...
Damages for asylum-seeker unlawfully detained and deprived of medication in detention in R (On the Application Of) Adegun v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWHC 22 (Admin) (25 January 2019)
This case provides another insight into whether a detained asylum system can be operated fairly and without detriment to detainees. In a ruling handed down on 10 January 2019, Nicholas Paine QC concluded that the Home Office failed to carry out Rule 34 assessments within 24 hours of the Claimant’s arrival at two separate detention centres and that as a result, Mr Adegun, had been unlawfully detained and deprived of his medication. Read more...
Dubs Amendment: High Court finds Home Office unlawfully failed to publish policy and breached its duty of candour (22 January 2019)
The High Court has today handed down judgment in the case of R (ZS) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWHC 75 (Admin). This claim challenged the Home Office’s failure to implement the so-called ‘Dubs Amendment’, s. 67 of the Immigration Act 2016, which required the Secretary of State to make arrangements to transfer asylum-seeking children from Europe. This power was used to transfer a number of children from the Calais ‘Jungle’ camp in late 2016. ZS was one of the children considered for transfer at that time but he was refused for failing to meet the criteria set by the Home Office, despite significant vulnerabilities. Read more...
Public Law’s Jeremy Bloom speaks at the Young Legal Aid Lawyers meeting discussing Duncan Lewis’ LAA Challenges (15 January 2019)
On 9th January 2019, Jeremy Bloom was invited to speak at 39 Essex Chambers at the Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) meeting, 'Litigating for Justice: Challenging the Legal Aid Agency'. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Wills and Probate department are participating in Cancer Research’s Free Will service (11 January 2019)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors are pleased to announce that our Wills and Probate department is collaborating with Cancer Research UK and its free will service for those aged 55 and over. Read more...
Duncan Lewis Solicitors welcomes five new lawyers to its Harrow based Criminal Defence team (9 January 2019)
We are pleased to announce that five new lawyers have joined the criminal defence department at our head office in Harrow. Consultant solicitor Emeka Onuma joins director Rubin Italia’s team alongside Christiana Denny-Persaud and Sonal Rabadia-Coll. We also welcome consultants Leilani Helmi and Raj Mehta who will be working under director, Nicholas De Freitas. Read more...
Recovering costs in a hostile environment post-AL (Albania) (7 January 2019)
On 22 June 2018, we published an article regarding the Court of Appeal’s judgment in AL (Albania) v SSHD [2018] EWCA Civ 1183 which confirmed that public funding was being sought to challenge the Court of Appeal’s decision in the Supreme Court. The purpose of the following article is to provide an update, especially in view of the fact that this case has profound implications for the future of publicly funded cases, in particular those involving vulnerable asylum-seeking children. Read more...